Indian Olympian javelin thrower Shivpal Singh has reportedly failed a doping test for the second time in his career. If proven guilty, the 29-year-old could face a suspension of up to eight years. According to an earlier PTI report, Shivpal—who represented India at the Tokyo Olympics—tested positive in an out-of-competition urine test conducted earlier this year. As a result, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has provisionally suspended him.
The news triggered a strong reaction from Klaus Bartonietz, former coach of Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra. Speaking to PTI, Bartonietz said, “Disappointed? I don’t know. But I’m really pissed off. So stupid.”
He further criticized the act, stating, “It shows you don’t trust the process. Everyone who dopes believes they can’t reach the top through regular training methods.”
Calling the incident a betrayal of values, the German biomechanics expert added, “It makes me so angry—they promote javelin everywhere, come from a family of javelin throwers, and then resort to this. This is like cheating. Carrying the Indian flag and saying ‘Jai Hind’ while cheating—I have no words. The only good part is that he got caught. The system is working.”
This isn’t Shivpal’s first violation. In 2021, he tested positive for a steroid during another out-of-competition test. Initially handed a four-year ban by NADA in August 2022, he successfully appealed the decision, arguing the positive result stemmed from contaminated supplements. The Appeal Panel reduced his ban to one year in January 2023.
Shivpal returned to competition in April 2023. He went on to win a bronze medal at the National Inter-State Championships in June and secured gold at the 2023 National Games.
